1989 Aston Martin V8 Vantage vs. 1981 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1989 Aston Martin V8 Vantage is newer by 8 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1981 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1981 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,340 cc (8 cylinders), 1989 Aston Martin V8 Vantage is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1989 Aston Martin V8 Vantage (402 HP @ 6250 RPM) has 288 more horse power than 1981 Mercury Cougar. (114 HP @ 4000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1989 Aston Martin V8 Vantage should accelerate faster than 1981 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1989 Aston Martin V8 Vantage weights approximately 464 kg more than 1981 Mercury Cougar. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
Both vehicles are rear wheel drive (RWD) - it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, both vehicles do the job better than front wheel drive vehicles. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 1989 Aston Martin V8 Vantage (550 Nm @ 5000 RPM) has 313 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Mercury Cougar. (237 Nm @ 2600 RPM). This means 1989 Aston Martin V8 Vantage will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1989 Aston Martin V8 Vantage | 1981 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Aston Martin | Mercury |
| Model | V8 Vantage | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1989 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5340 cc | 3797 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 402 HP | 114 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6250 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 550 Nm | 237 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1820 kg | 1356 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4680 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1840 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2620 mm | 2690 mm |
